EEEEE!!! Best day ever yesterday!!!!!!

Yesterday was the beginning of Homecoming. The main thing about Homecoming that makes it so exciting for the freshmen is the bonfire. As a class, the freshmen always build a huge bonfire (like stories tall...I'm talking huge) and then on Friday night, it is lit and we are forced to run around it. Technically, you're supposed to run 113 times, but that equates to about 11 miles, so only the hardcore runners actually do that.

We got ready for the bonfire around 6:30 in Biscoh (the lounge between Bissell and Cohen, two of the buildings in the Choates) and took a floor picture <3. Finding that I keep finding new things to love about my floor and the people on it as I get to know everybody better. Everybody was painting their faces, putting on green hair spray, eating pizza, etc. Super fun. At 7:30, we got ready for the freshmen sweep. Basically, the freshmen in the River cluster start parading towards Russell-Sage, where they then come over to the Choates and pick us up, we go by McLaughlin, pick up the kids from East Wheelock, then parade through Hanover til we get to the Green and the bonfire! So amazing and fun. We just kept making random chants happen ("CHOATES CHOATES CHOATES CHOATES! JIM KIM JIM KIM JIM KIM JIM KIM!") and I definitely sang the alma mater at least twice. So our group of friends managed to stay together until we got to the actual bonfire. We all crowded around, waiting for it to be lit...which took FOREVER. At that point it was already raining and we were freezing (though we knew that it would soon be scorching hot.) Finally the bonfire was lit and the pandemonium started. I managed to stay with Lilly and Andrew for a while though we got split up cause it was insane. All the 13s running around in a somewhat small-ish track, and then it would get congested at points so you were walk-pushing, and then all the upperclassmen on the sides yelling "WORST CLASS EVER!! TOUCH THE FIRE!!! KEEP RUNNING!!! WHY ARE YOU WALKING?!??!" I got tripped at one point, but I managed to save myself before I fell. I planned on running 13 laps but then after 13 I couldn't really find a way out, so I ended up running closer to 30 (I stopped counting after 13, so not sure of the exact number.) I managed to find some upperclassmen from Cabin and Trail in the circle and I used them to get out (other upperclassmen won't let you out and push you back in the ring.) All in all, extremely exciting. I just love all the school spirit and the traditions here :) makes me so happy!

After I got out, I walked over to Collis to meet the Mormon kids! We ended up going to Lebanon (the town right next to Hanover) and playing Fugitive. Fugitive is a lot like tag, except the people trying to tag you are in cars and you have to run from one destination to the next. You can hide, take any route you want, do whatever, you just need to get to "home base" without getting tagged by a person in a car (each driver has a passenger who gets out to tag you...so the car is not just left in the street by itself haha.) For the first round, Sam, AJ, Dillon and I were the runners. We managed to not get tagged even though it was really close for AJ. After that, I decided to be a tagger and I almost got AJ but he ran into a backyard and then I lost track of him :(. So after playing that for a few rounds, we went back to Elyse and Chantel's house and made s'mores over the stove and just talked. I love all the Mormons here, so hilarious and awesome. We finally left at like 3 in the morning. When I got back, everyone on my floor was like "...Did you go out Amy?" And I was like, "Actually, I was just running all over Lebanon, no biggie." I talked with Alfredo and Odochi for a while in the hall and then decided to call it a night at around 4.

I love everything about Dartmouth. I love the traditions, the spirit, the pride, the unity, and the welcoming environment. My fave part is a sign hanging over Collis that just says "Welcome home." And it's true, I am home.